Packaging system for merchandise receiving containers of various volumes



F. J. LAWLER PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING Dec. 8, 1970 CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES 17 Sheets-sleet '1 Filed June 4, 1968 INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER MAHONEY MILLER a R MBO BY Dec. 8., 1970 F. J. LAWLER 3,545,167

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ATTORNEYS 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 8, 1970 F. J. LAWLER I PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES Filed June 4, 1968 6 II I w I 0% 7 7 5 O 2 M 6 W d m. 7 m I v 1 M 7 r 8 w /1 I 4 9 h- I I I n 5 O H I6 I I1 9 MV 1 7 I 0 H J y m m a O I I III m I Q T\ IIII- 7 2 I I O 8 6 3 4 I 5 P w 9 9 I I I III I lF J 7 I l I V L H j f 2 1 {I 5 I I I I O 2 I 4I. 2 O n 5 l n w Jr 2 2 I 4 0 w I..\ 6 I IIL W IA a E m 2 2 7 L L n I u 3 w I H O h .I I- L OII W 4. m I W o m I w o in? R gt n. I 7

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PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 4, 1968 I I 7' :11! I87 I88 III I86 I I85 17.7 I "77 I79 I80 I r .1, I9! l/1 7O 7 H, l 72 UD] {,[95 :1 r 65 LS6 65 LS5 I 3.1. E 15 17a I78 I83 INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER 188a. BY

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INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER BY H MAHONEY M;LER 8 RAM ATT 80 BY M z ORNEYS Dec. 8 1970 F. .1. LAWLER PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES l7 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed June 4, 1968 INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWL ER BY MAH ONEY MILL R a RAMBO my ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1970 F. J. LAWLER PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES l7 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed June 4, 1968 INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER MAHONEY, MILLER a RAMBO ATTORNEYS Dec. 8., 1970 F. J. LAWLER 3,545,157

PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES 7 Filed June 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 M N" B I 262 C i5 INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER BY MAHONEY, ILLER 8 RAMBO BYM ' ATTORNEYS 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 \J ffAvl-l AV2-I AV2-2 A F. J. LAWLER PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING SPEED CONTROL REVERSING CONTACTOR CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES LS/45-l 1 LS/46-I LS62-l Dec. 8., 1970 Filed June 4, 1968 fiC- U AV3 I INVENTOR. FRANCIS J.LAWLER BY MAHONEY, MILLER a RAMBO A TORNEYS LS64-l (3CRI 2CRI - F. J. LAWLER 3,545,157 PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES Filed June 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 Dec. 8., 1970 TO AIR PRESSURE SOURCE V ro VACUUM SOURCE P IE AV2-2 w w sol. Av/'-/ \AVI \AVZ P [E P E X Av3-l AV3 v4 AV4 P IE -P E [)TF w w RA Av5-,/ I AV5 AVG-l AV6 E p E] p AV8-2 X g] AV7-2 AV7-I AV8 I60 7 I65 INVENTOR. a FRANCIS J. LAWLER MAggJA/EY, MVR a RAMBO ATTORNEYS Dec. 8., 1970 F. J. LAWLER 3,545,167

PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE'RECEIVING CONTAINERS QF VARIOUS VOLUMES Filed June 4, 1968 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 v P E P E Elk X SOL X L AV9-I AV9 M04 AVIO P E P E SOL X SOL W 'v AV/l AW2 AV/2 AV/3-l INVENTOR. FRANCIS J. LAWLER MAHONEY MILLER 8R4 BO A T TORNE YS United States Patent 3,545 167 PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR MERCHANDISE RECEIVING CONTAINERS OF VARIOUS VOLUMES Francis J. Lawler, 3054 Norwood St., Columbus, Ohio 43224 Filed June 4, 1968, Ser. No. 734,311 Int. Cl. B65b 47/06 US. CI. 5329 27 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A system for use in packaging articles or groups of articles of merchandise or material requiring differences in volumetric space for packaging. The system is embodied in a machine which receives a sheet of fiberboard or other formable material, forms it into an elongated tube of square or rectangular cross section and predetermined girth, and joins its leading end to the trailing end of a previously formed tube; and while the tube is still in the machine permits the operator to pack in the leading end of the continuously joined tube sections material or merchandise of assorted size, shape or quantity, after which the machine adjusts to the exact length required, cuts and scores the tube so that it is of the required length and volume with closure flaps formed on each end so that the operator can complete the closure by folding and sealing the flaps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention provides successive enclosures or containers of fiberboard, preferably corrugated board, for units of merchandise or material which vary in size or quantity so as to require successive containers of varying lengths, although they may be of a preselected uniform girth. It eliminates the need to cut down a manufactured carton of a standard size to fit the material or merchandise placed therein when the carton is not of the required size. Or in lieu of cutting down the oversize carton, to fill it with excess packaging material. At present, for merchandisers to pack merchandise for shipment to a customer, orders of which no two are the same size in quantity or shape, it is necessary to have available many different sizes of manufactured cartons of various standard sizes and shapes. In packing orders of merchandise of undetermined or varying sizes, seventy percent of the cost of packing such orders is the result of time consumed in searching for a carton of the correct size for packing an order, repacking the order because the first carton chosen was not large enough or was too large, the time and material costs in cutting a carton down to size when it is found to be too large, or in lieu of cutting a carton to size, the time and material cost of filling the excess carton space with packing material. Added to the above-indicated costs should be the cost of wasted floor space required to stack the many sizes of standard manufactured cartons, each size of which must be purchased in large quantities to obtain the best possible price.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred form of machine in which my packaging system is embodied and the successive steps in packaging the merchandise, but it is to be understood that specific variations may be made without departing from basic principles of my invention.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the main structure of the machine.

FIG. 1a is a side elevational view of the extended discharge end of the machine which is cut off in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3 in a different operative position.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3 but partly cut away.

FIG. '6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing a different operative position of the same mechanism.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 99 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing a different operative position of the same mechanism.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 1313 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 but showing a different operative position of the same mechanism.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 1515 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line 1616 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 1717 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 17 but showing the same mechanism in a different operative position.

FIG. 19 is another similar view but showing the same mechanism in still another operative position.

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 21 is a similar view but showing a different operative position of the same mechanism.

FIG. 22 is a similar view but showing still another operative position of the same mechanism.

FIG. 23 is a horizontal plan view taken from the position indicated at line 2323 of FIG. 20 but partly cut away.

FIG. 24- is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 2424 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a sheet of material which can be used in forming a container tube.

FIG. 26 is a schematic perspective view illustrating how the sheet is fed beneath the mandrel of the machine.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the formed container tube.

FIG. 28 is a schematic perspective view illustrating how the trailing end of a leading container tube formed on the machine is spliced by tape to the leading end of a following container tube formed in the machine.

FIG. 29 is a schematic perspective view showing the spliced container tube with flaps formed on its leading end.

FIG. 30 is a similar view, illustrating diagrammatically the cutting and slitting of the formed container tube to produce a container of desired length and capacity.

FIG. 31 is a similar view illustrating schematically the positioning of an article relative to the open leading end of the formed tube adapted to receive the article.

FIG. 32 is a similar view showing the article positioned in the leading end of the tube.

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the container on its side severed from the tube and loaded with the article with the flaps at the one or bottom end folded in and taped in closed position but, with the flaps at the other or top end in open extended position.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the upright packed container with the flaps at the top end folded inwardly and taped in closed position.

FIG. 35 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the electrical system of the machine.

FIG. 35a is a similar view of the remainder of the electrical system.

FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the fluid system of the machine.

FIG. 36a is a similar view of the remainder of the fluid system.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1a the general arrangement of a machine embodying my invention. The machine Was designed to: Operate to feed or load a sheet of stock of predetermined size, such as a sheet of longitudinally scored corrugated board; bend it transversely around an elongated forming mandrel into a hollow container tube of angular cross section, "preferably quadrangular, for example, square or rectangular, having an adhesively secured overlapping seam; permit the formed container tube to be advanced along the mandrel through a distance selected by the operator; forming a succeeding container tube around the mandrel behind the first-formed container tube and joining its leading end in abutting relationship with the trailing end of the first-formed container tube by means of an adhesive tape band; and as the combined container tube is advanced by the operator at will along the forming mandrel, the machine will form, by suitable scoring and cutting operations, a container or box of selected length, as it is packed with material or merchandise by the operator, the container having cover flaps at both ends, those at the leading end being closed by the operator before the container or box is completely severed from the main part of the tube to form the container bottom and those at the other end being closed by the operator after severing to form the container top.

The machine shown in the drawings is designed for forming tubes of square cross section to produce boxes of cubical form but it is not necessarily limited to this form. The structure of the machine is illustrated specifically in the drawings as comprising a main base or frame 35 which is tilted upwardly from its stock-loading or infeed end to its box-removing end, where the box is filled, being supported on a pair of legs 36 and a pair of forward longer legs 37. Extending outwardly from the forward or discharge end of the frame 35 is a final boxreceiving and supporting table or shelf 38 which is rigidly carried by the legs 37 intermediate their height.

The machine is designed to receive the sheets of flat stock S, which may be of the type indicated in FIG.

and which preferably have the preformed longitudinally extending score lines L at proper laterally spaced parallel positions. The stock for the machine is piled in an opentop tray or container 40 disposed at one side of the frame at the stock-loading end thereof, as indicated best in FIGS. 2 to 4. This tray is supported by a braced frame extension 41 which extends laterally from the main frame 35 and is rigidly connected thereto and is tilted in the same direction and to the same extent as the main frame 35. Between the tray and the main frame 35 on the extension 41 is a stock feed table in the form of parallel flat plates 42 which are adapted to receive and slidably support a sheet of stock placed thereon in bridging relationship to the plates 42. A sheet pusher is provided for engaging the trailing edge of a sheet S supported on the feed table plates 42 and comprises a pusher bar 43 which has its opposed ends overlapping and slidable on the plates 42. This bar 43 is moved back and forth along the plates 42 preferably by means of a double-acting, fiuidactuated cylinder and piston unit 45, the piston rod of which is shown connected to a depending bracket 44,

rigidly connected to the bar, and the cylinder of which is shown pivotally connected, for vertical swinging movement, to the rigid fixed arm 46 depending from the frame extension 41 at its outer end.

Sheet-lifting means is provided for lifting successive sheets from the tray 40 and depositing them on the feed table plates 42 and comprises a depending suction-cup carrying arm '50. This vertical support arm 50- carries rigidly at its lower end a transversely extending horizontal arm 51 which has the suction cups 52 supported on its opposed outer ends. An electromagnetic valve-controlled vacuum source of the usual type (not shown) will be connected to the downwardly opening cups 52. The support arm 50 has its upper end pivotally connected by a transverse pivot 53 to the outer end of a rocker arm 54. This rocker arm 54 is pivoted intermediate its length for swinging in a vertical plane about a transverse pivot 55 which is carried near the outer end of a rigid support arm 56 that extends horizontally over the frame extension 41 in elevated, parallel relationship thereto. This arm 54 is rocked about the pivot 55 by means of a double-acting fluidactuated cylinder and piston unit 60 which has its piston rod pivotally connected thereto at 57 and its cylinder pivoted for vertical swinging movement to a fixed support 58 at the pivot 59.

The extreme outer end of the support arm 56 carries a limit switch L862 and a second limit switch LS63 is carried by the support arm at a predetermined location inwardly along the arm. The switch LS62 is adapted to be engaged and actuated by the rocker arm 54 when it is swung into the position shown in FIG. 4, by extension of the cylinder and piston unit 60, to position the suction cups 52, and the sheet of stock carried thereby, over the feed table plates 42. The switch LS63 is adapted to be engaged and actuated by the rocker arm '54 when it is swung into the position shown in FIG. 3, by retraction of the cylinder and piston unit 60', to position the suction cups 52 over a sheet of stock in the tray 40. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the outer end of the rocker arm 54, that s, its end pivoted to the arm 50, is laterally offset relative to its other or inner end so that it will not engage the switches LS 62 or L563 during its vertical swinging. However, the other or inner end of the rocker arm 54 will engage the respective switches LS62 and L563 in each of the indicated positions of the rocker arm at opposite sides of the pivot 55. The limit switch L563 may be connected to and activates an electromagnetic valve to control application of suction to the cups 52. The switch LS63 may also be connected to and control an electromagnetic fluid control valve to control supply of fluid to the cylinder and piston unit 60 so as to extend it and move the cups 52 with the sheet carried thereby over the feed table plates as shown in FIG. 4. The limit switch L862 is connected to and actuates the vacuum valve to control release of vacuum from the cups 52. Also, the switch LS62- may be connected to and control an electromagnetic control valve to control supply of fluid for the cylinder and piston unit 45 to extend it so as to provide feeding movement of the sheet pusher bar 43. A limit switch L864 is carried by the frame 35 in position to be engaged by the bracket 44 of the sheet pusher and is connected to the electromagnetic control valve for the cylinder and piston unit 45 to retract the unit and reverse movement of the pusher bar 43.

Thus, movement of the pusher bar 43 laterally will feed the sheet over the main frame 35 and it will be noted (FIGS. 1 to 3) that this main frame includes the two longitudinally extending, inwardly and upwardly facing angles 65 which extend the full length of the machine in laterally spaced relationship. Supported at predetermined, fixed longitudinal intervals along the angles 65, as shown in FIG. 1, are the series of upright transverse support plate-like frames 66, 67, 68, and 69 which are preferably of square outline and which may merely rest on the angles. These support frames are rigidly held in spacedrelationship by means of four rods 70 located adjacent the respective corners and extending longitudinally of the machine through the support frames. The rods are threaded to receive clamping nuts 72 which are disposed on opposite sides of the plate frames.

An elongated forming mandrel 75 is provided on the machine and extends substantially the full length of the machine centrally through the aligning plate frames 66, 67, 68 and 69, with its axis in a tilted position in a plane parallel with the plane of the main frame angles 65. The mandrel is preferably of hollow form, shown as being of square transverse cross-section, so that a container tube of similar cross-section can be formed thereon by bending a sheet S therearound. The formed tube will have a girth corresponding to that of the mandrel. The mandrel is supported in cantilever position at its inner or rear end in a fixed position substantially centrally of the respective plate frames by means of a transverse angle bar 76 (FIG. 3) which is welded to the top side of the mandrel adjacent its rear end and which has its opposed ends extending outwardly over the vertical portions of the plate frame 66. These portions of the frame are provided with a series of vertically spaced bolt holes 77 for receiving bolts 78 so that the mandrel can be supported at selected levels depending on the thickness of the sheet stocks to be formed thereon.

For receiving the flat sheet stock pushed laterally by the pusher bar '43 and supporting it beneath the rear portion of the mandrel 75, a stock clamp and bending unit 80 is provided. This unit is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5 to 8. It consists of a series of elongated and longitudinally disposed forming plates which are designated 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85 (FIG. 5) which are hinged together for relative swinging by means of the piano-type hinges 86 disposed between adjacent edges. When the flat stock sheet S is received by the clamp 80, its plate sections are disposed in a common horizontal plane (FIG. 6) so that their upper surfaces form a support table which is level with the upper surfaces of the feed table plates 42 and is tilted in the same direction and to the same extent as the feed table and the overlying mandrel 75. It will be noted that the clamp plates 82, 83, and 84 are of uniform widths which will be sufiicient to form three side walls of the square tube to be formed by bending the sheet around the mandrel 75. The plate 83 is directly below the mandrel and will subsequently engage the stock sheet S to hold it against the bottom side of the mandrel. The sections 82 and '84 will swing upwardly around the opposed sides of the mandrel and the sections 81 and 85 will swing inwardly and overlap the top surface of the mandrel to form the top surface of the tube T, the final position of the clamp being shown in FIG. 8. Because at this time the plate 85 overlaps a seam formed on the cessed surface 87 (FIGS. 5 and 6) at its outer extremity.

The central or bottom plate 83 is supported for limited vertical movement toward and from the lower side of the mandrel 75 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. It is carried by two pairs of laterally swingable supporting links 88 so that a link is located adjacent each corner of the plate. The upper end of each link is pivoted at 89 to the lower side of the plate 83 and the lower end of each link is pivoted at 90 to a transverse support bar 91 which extends between and is supported by the main frame angles 65. Each forward and rearward pair of links is provided with a connecting link 92 spaced below the upper ends of the links, which support a longitudinally extending connecting bar 93 therebetween. Intermediate its ends this bar is connected by the pivot connection 94 to the outer end of the piston rod of the fluid-actuated double-acting cylinder and piston unit 95. The cylinder of this unit 95 is pivoted at 96 to the upper and inner end of a bracket 97 which is rigidly supported on the outer frame angle 65.

In stock-receiving position, as indicated by broken lines in FIG. 6, the links 88 are swung laterally to the left so that the clamp plates are at a level spaced below the mandrel 75 sufficiently to permit the stock sheet S to move therebetween. This is the condition when the cylinder and piston unit is extended. However, when the unit 95 is retracted, the links 88 will swing laterally to the right lifting the clamp plates and causing the plate 83 to clamp the sheet stock against the bottom of the mandrel. This movement will also center the clamp and especially the plate 83 laterally relative to the mandrel 7 5.

For folding the clamp plates 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85 around the mandrel 75 after the plate 83 has been moved upwardly to clamp the stock sheet thereto, a suitable linkage arrangement is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8. The

linkage is located at each end of the set of clamp plates and will first be described in the unfolded condition of the plates, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The linkage at each end comprises two sets of slightly different links on opposite sides of a centrally located fluid-actuated cylinder and piston unit 100, the cylinder of which is rigidly supported on the lower surface of the central clamp plate 83 in depending relationship thereto. The set of links to the left comprises a toggle link pair with a longer link 101 pivotally connected at its one end at 102 to the outer or lower end of the piston rod of the unit and with its other end pivoted at 103 to the outer or lower end of the shorter toggle link 104 which, in turn, is pivoted at 105 at its inner or upper end to the plate 83 at the left side of the cylinder. Connected to the toggle linkage at the common pivot 103 is a link 106 which has its outer or lower end pivoted at 107 to the bell crank link 108. The link 108 is pivoted at its other end at 109 to the clamp plate 81. A connector link 110 is pivoted at its lower end at the comon pivot 107 and at its upper end at 111 to the intermediate clamp plate 82. The set of links to the right of the cylinder and piston unit 100 is similar to the set described in that it has the similarly arranged toggle links 112 and 113, a long link 114 like the link 106, a connector link 115 like the link 11!} and connected to the other intermediate clamp plate 84, and a link 116 connected to the outer clamp plate 85. However, it will be noted that the link 116 is a straight link as compared to the angled or hell crank link 108 connected to the opposite outermost clamp plate 81. Actuation of the linkage will cause the plates 82 and 84 to fold upwardly against the sides of the mandrel, and due to the difference in linkage at the two sides, will cause the plate 81 to first swing inwardly and then, after a short interval, the plate 85 to swing inwardly to the positions shown in FIG. 8.

The cylinder and piston units 100 at opposite ends of the clamp will be controlled simultaneously by a single electromagnetic valve and when the units are extended, the clamp plates are unfolded as indicated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7. However, when the cylinders 100 are retracted, the clamp plates are folded upwardly around the mandrel as shown in FIG. 8. The two cylinder and piston units 100 are activated to retract and fold the clamp plates upwardly and inwardly by means of a limit switch LS120 which may be engaged by one of the links 88 when the stock clamp is moved upwardly to clamp the stock sheet against the mandrel as shown in full lines in FIG. 6.

Outwardly of the unfolded stock clamp plates and carried along that side of the main frame 35 for lateral reciprocation is an elongated glue-applying head 125. This head may be used to apply glue, such as hot glue supplied through a line 126 (FIG. 5), to the outermost edge of the sheet stock longitudinally along an area adjacent the edge which is to overlap the opposite edge of the sheet when it is folded around the mandrel to the position shown in FIG. 8. This head will function if pressuresensitive adhesive is not used on the stock sheet and has not been previously applied thereto. This head will be supported for movement from a position outside the frame 35 (FIG. 3) to a position within the frame and over the edge of the sheet clamped to the mandrel 75 (FIG. 7) by means of a fluid-actuated cylinder and piston 

